Vehicle-wheel



L. nomusnm j VEHICLE WHEEL. APPLICATION FILED IULYIBLISIQ.

Aug 24,1920.

Patehted UNl'l'ED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEO HOFMEISTER, OF MILJVAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

VEHICLE WHEEL.

Application filed July 18,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, Lno Horarnrsrnn, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of l Visconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Vheels, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

The present invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in vehicle wheels and more particularly to a traction device employed in connection therewith.

One object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle wheel having peripheral projections pivotally carrying oscillatory foot pieces adapted for contact with the road surfaces whereby the load may be supported from one or more of the foot pieces in con tact with the roadway, and whereby the foot pieces may be successively brought into supporting relation.

More specifically stated, my invention provides a wheel having oscillatory foot-pieces so arranged upon itsperiphery as to secure heel and toe effects, both the heel and toe portions being adapted for yielding contact with the surface of the ground whereby when the vehicle is propelled or drawn along the highway, the action of the foot pieces will be similar to that of human feet.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a foot piece forming traction means in which the heel portion will be rigid with the foot piece proper, and the toe portion pivotally carried thereby and normally retain in its proper position for engaging the ground by spring means, whereby the same will be returned to the proper position after engagement with the ground. v

A further object of the present invention is to provide resilient means for yieldingly holding the foot pieces in position for proper engagement as the wheel is rotated.

A still further object is to provide a vehicle traction wheel which is capable of being used in passing over plowed ground and across miry places without cutting ruts, and ordinarily without penetrating the surface of the ground, although the foot pieces may be readily withdrawn when the ground is sufficiently soft to permit such penetration.

My improved wheel is particularly adapted to be used as a traction wheel for climbing steep grades, maximum friction or Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented A11 24, 1920.

1919. Serial No. 311,770.

tractive effect being secured, and, owing to the fact that the foot pieces are permitted to oscillate, whereby heel and toe effects are secured, I am enabled to operate the wheel with a minimum number of foot pieces without allowing the load to descend in the spaces between successive foot pieces. I thus avoid the effect of walking on stilts and secure an easy, resilient, rolling motion while maintaining the load substantially at a constant level.

lVith the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the herein disclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, 1 have illustrated one complete example of the physical embodiment of my invention, constructed according to the best mode I have so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side view of my improved wheel, the upper portion being broken away and parts of the lower portion being broken away and in section.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken through the foot piece connection on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an end view of the foot piece, said view being taken on the line S -3 of Fig. l, and

Fig. l is a transverse sectional view taken through one of the foot pieces on the line l l of Fig. 1

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawing in which like parts are identified by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

The body of the wheel, including the spokes 5, and peripheral rim 6 may be of any ordinary construction adapted in the manufacture of wheels, pulleys, etc. The rim 6, however, is provided with a set of laterally projecting legs 7 having a base portion 8 shaped to conform with the outer peripheral face of the rim 6 to facilitate bolting the legs to the rim or welding them thereto.

The legs 7ar e each provided with spaced flanges or arms 9 and a centrally disposed f 20 so that the may have the proper resilient action without rivet or other fastening 17. 1s shaped as best shown in Fig. 1, that 1s, is

the tread piece 22 being fixed 23' pivotallyflcarried by the foot piece by V 'meansof'a .25 secured v20 as bestshown in Fig. 1. The tread 22 is normally yieldingly held in a position corre- 7 sponding with th positionof tread piece 21 flange 1O connecting the inner end of the same to provide stop means as later dedirected inwardly from its end secured to member 11, is then directed laterally for a short distance and then outwardly to a point outwardly of the end secured to member 11 and then bent upon itself, and then inwardly and rearwardly to provide an instep 18, and then outwardly and rearwardly. The constructing of the member 16 in this shape insures the best resilient effect, and the forward end 19 of the foot piece is divided in order that the outer portion of the comprise two parallel pieces 7 foot piece will inner half of the foot piece striking the outer half, as best shown in Fig. 2.

The foot piece 16 is provided with re movable treadpie'ces 21 and 22, the, tread,

piece 21 being rigid with the piece 16 and connecting the free ends of the pivot pin 21 carried by'bearings to the forward ends of the arms b means of a retractile sorin 26 having b .one'end engaged with an arm 27- of bracket 23, and its other end engaged with a bracket,

28 carried 'by the inner half of the member 16. r

The entire foot piecehas its forward end normally urged outwardly from the rim 6, its entire limit of movement by means of an extensile spring 29, carried by a spring guide 30 having its outer end in pivotal connection with'bracket 28 and its innerend engaged with an aperture 81 in the rim 6, the spring 29 lmpinging aga lnst the rim 6 anda shoulder on the guide 30 near its outer end.

I .7 The operation of my wheel is" as follows,

consideringthe sameas moved from'right to.

left. with reference-to Fig. 1: As shown in Fig.1, one foot piece l6 is illustrated as with the wheel, the'movement of about to engage the roadway, and the other foot piece as being about to disengage the roadway, the action being as .followsz The adjustable set screw 14 of the fo'ot piece, to

.viz: oneabout pivot pin arms 20, and 1n abracket' tion pivotally carried by piece to its limit the right with reference to Fig. 1, engages the stop 10 making the foot piece substantially rigid with respect to the rim and allows the same to move on pivot 2 1 of the tread piece 22. The foot piece to the left withreference to Fig. l is now engaging the ground and as the rocking movement on pivot '24 of the righthand foot piece continues, the weight is evenly shifted to the left foot piece until the entire weight is carried thereby, when the wheel moves on the pivot 12 until the left hand set screw 141 of the left hand foot piece abuts the stop 10, and this foot piece pivots on its pin 24:, the action being the same as described in con- I nection with the other foot piece.

. While the wheel has been described as rotated in but one direction, it will be understood that the same is free to rotate in every direction, the operation being practically the same. By providing the two oscillations, 12 and the other about pivot pin 24, it is possible to take a longer step, and consequently employ a fewer number: of foot pieces than would ordinarily be the case, thereby reducing the bearing surface to a minimum.

Vhat I claim as my invention is: 1. A vehicle wheel having a rim portion and spaced apart foot pieces pivotally V secured thereto, each foot piece having'a heel portion and a pivoted toe portion whereby each foot piece has two separate rocking movements similar to a humanfoot. V

2. A vehicle wheelhaving a rim portion and spaced apartv foot pieces pivotally car ried thereby, each foot piece having a heel portion and a pivoted toe portion'whereby each foot piecehas first an ankle movement similar to a'human foot on its pivot and then a ball movement similar to a human foot on the toe portion pivot. V

3. A traction device for vehicle wheels, comprising a pivoted foot piece, a toe porthe foot piece, and aheel portion resiliently carried by the foot p1ece. r p 7 4:. A'traction device for vehicle wheels, comprising a foot piece pivotallyvcarried bythe wheel and capable of a limited move- 'ment, a toe portion pivotally carried by the foot piece, and a heel portion resiliently carried by the'foot piece; 7 r i V 5. A; traction device for vehicle wheels, comprising a foot piece inpivotal connection with'the 'wheel, means adjustably limiting the movement ofthe foot piece on its pivot, andtoe and heel portions carried by the foot p1ece. l V 7 r 6. A traction device for vehicle wheels,

comprising a foot piece inpivotal connection the foot on its pivot, spring yieldingly urging the foot of movement in one direcmeans normally means adjustably limiting tion, and a pivoted toe portion and a heel portion carried by the foot piece.

7 A traction device for vehicle wheels,

comprising a foot piece in pivotal connection with the wheel, means adjustably limiting the movement of the foot on its pivot, spring means normally yieldingly urging the foot piece to its limit of movement in one direction, a toe portion pivotally carried by the foot piece, spring means yieldingly holding the toe portion against movement, and a heel portion carried by the foot piece.

8. A vehicle wheel having a rim portion, foot pieces pivotally connected with the rim portion, spring controlled toe and heel portions carried by the foot pieces and adapted for independent yielding movement, and means yieldingly holding the foot pieces against movement including an extensile spring carried by each foot piece and impinging against the rim portion.

9. A vehicle wheel having a rim portion provided with projections, foot pieces pivotally connected with said projections and provided with resiliently yielding bearing members having heel and toe portions adapted for independent yielding movement, each foot piece including a connecting member, a resilient forwardly projecting arm and an integral rearwardly projecting arm parallel therewith and spaced therefrom, the movement of the connecting member being limited by a stop in one direction and by a tension spring and a stop in the other direction.

10. A vehicle wheel having a rim portion provided with projections, foot pieces pivotally connected with said projections and provided with resiliently yielding bearing members having heel and toe portions adapted for independent yielding movement, each foot piece including a connecting member, a resilient forwardly projecting arm and an integral rearwardly projecting arm parallel therewith and spaced therefrom, the bearing members being adapted to yield resiliently in the direction of the'supporting connecting members, such movement being limited by the connecting member arranged to serve as a stop.

11. A traction foot piece for Vehicle wheels comprising a supporting bracket, a resilient yoke member in pivotal connection with the bracket, a toe portion pivotally carried by the yoke member, and a heel portion fixed to the yoke member.

12. A traction foot piece for vehicle Wheels, comprising a supporting bracket, a resilient yoke member having one end free, means pivotally connecting the other end of the yoke member with the supporting bracket, a heel portion fixed to the free end of the yoke member, and a toe portion pivoted to the yoke member adjacent its bend.

In testimony whereof I afiix m si nature.

LEO HOFM IS ER. 

